Young voices to the fore as ideas and words are given full power

In his speech he talked about the benefits of the BRI for young Zimbabwean farmers, agriculture having become a significant source of employment and income for many young people in his country, he said.

"I believe that public speaking is an effective means to convey and express ideas to others, facilitating communication among people from different countries, civilizations, and cultures."

During the competition, Eloise Claire Cameron-Smith, 22, an Australian studying electronics engineering at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, said she found joy in experiencing new cultures and breaking down barriers.

In her speech, she said the modern world is like "a place where people live divided by large glass walls, able to see in but never communicate and never truly understand".

The BRI is eliminating such impediments and is forging "new pathways of connectivity, cooperation and commerce across continents", she said.

Connections and communication were recurring themes in both competitions.

"I think the competition is a melting pot of ideas, which creates moments of cultural bonding where you not only understand the cultures of others but also reflect on your own culture through these exchanges," Lind said.

Contact the writer at mengwenjie@i21st.cn